Escorts in Spain. A multi-million dollar business

We are more than accustomed to seeing news like this in the media: the police dismantle a network that exploited more than 200 women. In this particular a total of nine people were arrested in Barcelona as alleged perpetrators of crimes of trafficking in human beings. According to the investigation, the women were captured in their country (they were of Romanian origin) and brought to Spain, where they were forced to prostitute themselves in brothels, apartments and even roads, to pay the debt incurred for the illegal trip. Among the young women, there were minors and a woman with a disability. But it is just one example of how criminal organizations move in the multi-billion dollar business of sexual exploitation. Spain, in particular, is a paradise for prostitution. More, in this time of crisis.

A recent report published by the American newspaper The New York Times affirmed that the sex business has experienced an important growth in Spain, attracting more and more young people from all over Europe. The article explained that, with the outbreak of the economic crisis, it is very easy to see the sex business in the streets of cities and also in small towns. Among the arguments that were exposed, the laxity of the migratory laws until 2010 stood out, but also an increasing demand of young people who look for sexual tourism and whores in those countries.

Precisely, in 2010, a United Nations report on prostitution warned that, in Europe, there are 140,000 women enslaved in prostitution and, each year, integrates 70,000 new victims, generating profits of 2,500 million euros per year. In particular, the report highlighted that Spain was one of the main destinations for sexual exploitation and called for an alert to our country because of the excessive number of men who pay for sex. According to the study, 39% of men admit to having paid for sex at some time in their life.
However, these figures could have grown exponentially in recent years as a result of the economic crisis. According to data from the Spanish police, prostitution is a criminal phenomenon that goes further. It is estimated that in the last 20 years the sector has increased by 80% and that currently the number of women exercising prostitution in Spain exceeds 300,000. And that on a global level, if we only look at the luxury escorts the figure skyrockets.

A profitable business, experts say, because the mafias sell to the girls again and again and, with each of them, a pimp earns an average of 45,000 euros per year. So far this year, the police have arrested more than 420 people related to sexual exploitation. From the associations that fight against this problematic they assure that, without the money that the men contribute to this business, there would not be an industry of the sex, reason why they plead to denounce and to fine those who exercise it.

But does the sex business have an expiration date? If you look at these data, it seems that this moment is far away. Human trafficking is the third organized crime business and, in some countries, the first. Specifically, sexual exploitation accounts for 84% of the total business, according to the UN report.